Building block and wall structure



ug., 4, l936 H. G. Hass BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. l,1934 y v f f y. v

l l 10 if i5( 20 if l@ j? 15 i@ f Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITEDv STATESBUILDING BLOCK AND WALL STRUCTURE Harry G.- Hess, Lancaster, Pa.,assigner to Hess System, Inc., York, Pa., a corporation of Penn-Sylvania Application November 1, 1934, Serial No. 750,966

3 Claims.

This invention relates to building blocks and to wall structures madetherefrom,l and it relates more particularly to building blocks moldedfrom concrete or the like, and to a wall in which such building blocksare incorporated. which wall will be relatively inexpensive to eect, andwhen erected will be proof against the passage therethrough of moisture,and will be free from sweating. The invention also contemplates a use ofthe building blocks whereby plaster or stucco can be applied theretowithout likelihood of the same subsequently becoming detached.

Heretofore large numbers of building blocks have been made and usedhaving a concrete aggregate consisting principally of cement andcinders, or in some instances of cement and slag, and one of theadvantages claimed for such blocks, particularly where the proportionatequantity of cement used was low, was that nails could be driven into theblocks for the purpose of attaching the fun-ing strips and trim.

In many instances, where such so-called cinder blocks were used, theplaster was applied directly to one surface thereof, and in otherinstances wood or metal sheathing was applied to the external surfacesof the wall, either by nailing the same directly to the blocks, or byfirst nailing furrlng strips directly to the blocks and then nailing thesheathing to the furring strips.

It has been found by experience, however, that walls so constructed havenot always proved satisfactory, in that where the cement content of theblocks was low enough to obtain the desired nailability of the blocks,the blocks were relatively low in crushing strength and could not beused in many situations where a molded concrete block would otherwise bedesirable.

It has also been found that, by reason of the porous character of suchbuilding blocks, the steel nails used for applying the furring strips ortrim' would quickly rust through, particularly at or near the surfacesof the blocks, vpermitting the attached parts to fall away. y

It has also been found that where molded concrete blocks were used, andplaster or stucco was applied directly to the surfaces thereof, the wallso constructed was very prone to sweat when there was a substantialdifference in temperature between the two sides thereof. Furthermore, inmany instances theA plaster or stucco would separate from the wall overconsiderable areas, either by reason of the inherent weakness of theconcrete aggregate from which the blocks were made, or by reason ofmoisture passing through the 69m` (Cl. 'l2-41) ponent parts of the walland acting to destroy the adhesion.

The object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide buildingblocks molded from concrete or the like, and a wall structure embodyingsuch blocks, so constructed and arranged that furring strips may besecurely, permanently, and rigidly attached thereto, whereby plaster orsheathing may be applied to the wall without danger of subsequentseparation therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to`provide building blocks of anovel character which, when incorporated in a wall, will permit theattachment of the furring strips at a variety of center distances, asmay be required in a -particular in- 15 stallation.

A further object of the invention is to provide building blocks havingmeans for attaching furring strips thereto, which may be used withoutrequiring a great deal of thought on the part of the erector of thewall.

A further object of the invention is to provide building blocks of suchcharacter that when plaster or stucco is applied directly to thesurfaces of a wall constructedof such blocks, the same will be securelykeyed to the surface of the wall.

A further object of the invention is'to providel a building block of thecharacter aforesaid, which may be readily made in existing block moldingmachines without requiring any substantial change therein.

'Ihe nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawingA forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building block embodying the mainfeatures of the present invention, one of the nailing pieces being shownin connection therewith in an intermediate position, while beinginserted therein;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a wall embodying the main features ofthe present invention, illustrating the arrangement vof the blocks inone course, and partly broken away at one portion to show thearrangement in another course;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the wall shown in Fig. 2,as the same appears before the furring strips are attached thereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a detail of theconstruction; and- Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a portion of adesired concrete wall illustrating the application of plaster or stuccodirectly to one surface thereof.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. l of the drawing, there is thereshown in perspective a building block III, which may be made of anypreferably made in the standard size of sixteen inches in length, eightinches in height, and eight inches in depth or thickness. The block isalso preferably provided with the usual air chambers I I extending fromtop to bottom.

On the front face of the block III there are provided two dovetail slotsI2, also extending from top to bottom of the block. One of these slotsI2 is positioned at approximately onequarter the length of the blockfrom one end thereof, and the other slot ls positioned at approximatelyone-quarter 'the length of the block from the other end thereof, wherebythe slots will be separated from each other a distance of approximatelyone-half the length of the block.

In conjunction with the blocks I0 of this special form, there areprovided insert pieces I3, preferably made of wood or other suitablematerial into which nails may be driven, which are shaped complementallyto the dovetail slots I2, and are of a length to fill said slots fromtop .to bottom. These nailing pieces I3 are made so that they may bereadily slid into the dovetail slots I2, as hereinafter set forth.

It should be noted, however, that the nailing pieces I3 are of athickness slightly less than the depth of the dovetail slots I2,`and areso dimensioned that when said nailing pieces are positioned in theslots, the outer faces thereof will be spaced slightly inwardly from thesurface of the wall. This arrangement is provided so that when furringstrips are nailed to the insert pieces, as the nails are driven intoplace the inclined side faces of the insert pieces I3 will be drawntightly against the inclined side faces of the dovetail slots I2, and atthe same time the furring strips will be drawn tightly against thesurface of the wall (see Fig. 4).

Ordinarily, in the use of the blocks I0 in the building of a wall, thesame will be used only in certain courses, as shown for example in Fig.3, blocks I4 of the ordinary type being used in the other courses, andin the laying up of the wall, whenever it is desired to insert a coursein which the nailing insert pieces I3 are to be used, the

.special bloclns I0 of the present invention will be laid in place inthe usual manner, breaking joints with the course immediately beneath.

After a course of special blocks has been laid, and before the nextsucceeding course is placed thereon, any one, such as an apprentice ornon-skilled laborer, can quickly drop the nailing pieces I3 into thedovetail slots I2 at the desired center distances, after which saidnailing pieces will be securely confined in said slots by the laying upin the wall of the next superposed course of blocks.

In a preferred type of wall construction, shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawing, the special blocks I0 are laid up in the wall with the dovetailslots I2 in certain courses disposed on one face of the wall, and inother courses disposed on the opposite face of the wall. When this isdone the furring strips I5 may be secured to both faces of the wall, bybeing nailed to the insert pieces I3 which are mounted incertain of thedovetail slots I2 on each face as desired.

The furring strips I5 applied to the outer face aggregate. The block I0isof the wall may be employed for the attachment thereto of externalsheathing IS, which may be made of wood or metal as desired. It will benoted that the spacing of the insert pieces Il on this face of the wallwill depend upon the 5 relative stiffness of the sheathing materialemployed, and may be varied to suit the circumstances.

On the inner face of the wall the furring strips I5 may be attached inlike manner, and to l0 these furring strips lathing I1 of the ordinarytype, either of wood or metal, may be secured, and the plaster I8 thenapplied to the lathing.

It will be noted that in this type of wall dead air spaces I9 areprovided between the sheathing l5 I6 and the outer faces of the blocksIII, that the blocks themselves are provided with the usual air chambersIl, and that there is another dead air space 20 between the inner facesof the blocks and the plastery I8, so that the wall will be 20exceedingly well insulated against the passage of heat, and virtuallyimpervious to the passage of moisture.

It may here be observed that where blocks of the standard sixteen-inchlength are used, and ,25 the dovetail slots I2 are positioned asaforesaid at the quarter distances from the ends, the nailing pieces I3may be inserted at distances apart which are any multiple of eightinches. For example, in the course which is adjacent the floor of abuilding, the nailing pieces may be inserted in every dovetail slot I2,thereby providing means for attaching the baseboard of the room trim ata distance of every eight inches. y

On the other hand, if the wall is to be covered 35 by any of the usualtypes of wallboard (not shown) now available and in common use, whichordinarily come in forty-eight inch widths, it is only necessary towatch that the nailing pieces I3 are positioned to come opposite theplaces where the vertical joints of the wallboard are to occur, and atas many intervening places as may be deemed necessary, depending in eachinstance upon the relative stiffness of the wallboard employed.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing there is illustrated another manner of use ofthe special blocks Il. namely, where it is desired to apply plaster orstucco 2| directly to a surface of the wall. In this instance thespecial blocks are laid up in the wall at as many places as desired,with the dovetail slots I2 therein disposed on the face to which theplaster is to be applied, and portions of the plaster will then beforced into said slots, as at 22, to form an effective key to insure theretention of the plaster on the face of the wall.

It will be noted that the special blocks employed may be readily moldedin the ordinary machines at present in use for molding concrete blocks,as the members required in the molds for forming the dovetail slots I2on one face of the block IIi may be withdrawn from the molded blocksimultaneously with the withdrawal of the members which form the airchambers Il in the block. 65

I claim:

1. A wall structure consisting. of a series of superposed courses ofbuilding blocks including generally prismatic blocks and specialprismatic 70 blocks disposed in courses therein, said blocks having airchambers extending from the top to y dovetail slots, said nailing piecesextending from the top to the special bottom of the blocks and 4beingconfined in position by the prismatic blocks in the courses above andbelow the special blocks, each of said special blocks being providedwith two of said dovetail slots, one of said dovetail slots beingpositioned at approximately onequarter the length of the block from oneend thereof, and the other dovetail slot being positioned atapproximately one-quarter the length of theblock from theA other endthereof. and members positioned on the face of the wall nailed to saidnailing pieces, said nailing pieces being of less thickness that thedepth of the dovetail slots in which they are positioned whereby themembers nailed to said nailing pieces .may be drawn up tightly againstthe adjacent exposed faces of the blocks.

2. A wall structure consisting of a series of superposed courses ofbuilding blocks including generally prismatic blocks and specialprismatic blocks disposed therein in courses, said blocks having airchambers extending from the top toA the bottom thereof, said specialblocks having dovetail slots on one face thereof also extendingl fromthe top to the bottom of each block, and nailing pieces loosely insertedin certain of said dovetail slots, said nailing pieces extending fromthe top to the bottom of the special blocks and being confined inposition by the prfismatic blocks in the courses above and below thespecial blocks, each of said special blocks being provided with two ofsaid dovetail slots, one of said dovetail slots being positioned atapproximately one" quarter the length of the block from one end thereof,and the other dovetail slot being positioned at approximatelylone-quarter the length of the block from the other end thereof.

3. A wall structure consisting of a series of superposed courses ofbuilding blocks including generally prismatic blocks and specialprismatic blocks disposed in courses therein, said special blocks havingair chambers extending from the top to the bottom thereof, said specialblocks having dovetail slots on one face thereof also extending from thetop to the bottom of each block, and nailing pieces loosely inserted incertain of said dovetail slots, said nailing pieces extending from'thetop to the bottom of the special blocks and being conned in position bythe prismatic blocks in the -courses above and below the special blocks:each of said special blocks being provided with two of said dovetailslots, one of said dovetail slots being positioned at approximatelyonequarter the length of the block from one end thereof, and the otherdovetail slot being positioned at approximately one-quarter the lengthof the block from the other end thereof, said special blocks beingarranged in the wall with the HARRY G. HESS.

